Happy summer!In this edition of Field Notes, we take a closer look at social data—often overlooked, yet holding the key to understanding our communities.
Community First: Rethinking Growth with Social Data
The Heart in the Numbers
Langley City’s Social Data shows how localized, community-driven data can drive smart economic development. By sharing indicators like demographics, housing, education, and well-being, the City equips decision-makers with tools to create policies grounded in real life.
This transparency is strategic: it helps developers, nonprofits, and civic planners spot opportunities, address needs, and plan for the future with greater accuracy.
Social data adds depth to economic metrics, revealing who’s benefitting, who’s not, and what barriers exist to resilience.
For places like Langley, investing in open, detailed data supports inclusive growth—recognizing that strong economies start with understanding people’s lived experiences.
Bridging the gap Langley City's Social Data Portal, powered by CityViz, provides an easy way to explore key community indicators—like homelessness, health, crime, education, workforce, and infrastructure.
Users can view interactive charts, filter data by interest, and download reports for deeper analysis. The platform empowers residents, businesses, and organizations with actionable insights, fostering transparency and engagement.
As Mayor Nathan Pachal said, it "supports transparency and accountability while giving everyone... powerful insights into the dynamics of our community."
We open a Zoom room for a casual chat about anything data and economic development related. It’s open to everyone, and you can drop in anytime and stay as long or short as your schedule allows.